INTERVIEW Stopping, Reflecting and Starting Again

Bríet reflects on her process to date and what comes next

Words: Lilja Bragadóttir & Esja Mae Fulton Aðalsteinsdóttir Images: Art Bicnick

On a drizzly day in Reykjavík, Lilja and Esja sat in the glass atrium in the building where the Grapevine is located and waited patiently for the

Winning Big At The Íslensku tónlistarverðlaunin

Originating in the 1960s, the Icelandic Music Awards have been held semiregularly over the past three decades. On March 22, musicians and their entourages filled Harpan to receive recognition for all the sweat, blood and tears they’ve poured into their work. Changes were made to many of the prize categories, resulting in a shorter awards list. Pop, hip-hop, rock, and electronic music genres were combined into one comprehensive category. In the same category, Guðlaug Sóley Höskuldsdóttir (gugusar) won Best Performer, Björk won Best Producer for her album Fossora, and many more awards bestowed to a total of 20 artists.

one and only Bríet to arrive for an interview.

The 24-year-old singer has taken Iceland by storm over the past few years, releasing her breakout album Kveðja, Bríet in 2020, picking up a bunch of Grapevine Music Awards and Icelandic Music Awards, and establishing herself as an icon. Her talent — and all round cool persona — hasn’t gone unnoticed by these young journalists, who have seen her perform over the years at their after school programme, in a stripped down concert in Eyrarbakki, and at an Iceland Airwaves off-venue performance, to name a few.

When Bríet swept into the building dressed as if she were ready to take the stage, it was time for the young journalists to get to work.

What inspires you to make music?

the environment gives me inspiration.

What is your favourite song apart from your songs?

and then I’m inspired again to finish it. It was maybe a bit difficult to write “Fimm” because it started a little differently. I thought it was going to be more of a dance song but then it started calling for a slower tempo so it was a bit difficult to finish it.

Do you play any instruments?

Yes, I play guitar and piano.

What is your favourite colour? White.

Right now it’s a song by Bob Dylan called “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right.”

What is your favourite song you made?

I go back and forth, depending on how I feel. But right now it’s “Sólblóm.”

What would you be if you weren’t a singer? I would be another kind of artist, like a painter or an actress.

What is your favourite food? Sushi.

What is your favourite sport?

I really enjoy watching handball, but

Iceland’s favourite experimental happening, Extreme Chill Festival announced their show dates earlier in April. The festival will take place September 21 - 24 in Reykjavík. The festival has always been open to changes, having been hosted all around Iceland and even in Berlin. This time around, it will take place across Gamla Bíó, Kex Hostel, Iðnó and Space Odyssey, with more venues to be announced. The festival aims to foster relationships between Icelandic and international musicians, with a focus on platforming a range of art forms, from experimental music to visual art. The full line-up as well as information on tickets will be announced May 5.

I get this question a lot and sometimes I really have to think about it a lot because there is no one thing — there are so many things. It can just be a conversation like just the three of us talking now and I hear something beautiful that you say that makes me want to write about. It can be some new feeling or some new experience that can inspire me. So everything in

You won some awards recently, what were they?

I won Singer of the Year, Performer of the Year and Song of the Year at the Hlustendaverðlaunin (Listener’s Choice Awards).

What was the hardest song to write?

When it gets difficult to write songs, I stop working on it and start working on something new — and it happens in every song. I go and make a new song and then I come back to the old one if I were playing myself, then I don’t know. I think handball is very fun to watch. It’s the most fun sport.

Are you working on any new music?

Yes! Now I’m trying to compose in English and I’m going to make songs or an album or something. I don’t really know when it will be released but I’m currently writing full time.